Pasta and portions

slgsleepy
slgsleepy Posts: 8 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi


This may seem like a stupid question but I have no idea and my internet research is inconclusive. Most of my pasta and rice that I but shows me the calories for cooked weight. Obviously it is dried and then expands etc during cooking. How much dried pasta and rice is equivalent to a portion of cooked weight of the same? For example does 50g dried pasta become 100g cooked pasta?

Thanks :)

Sarah

Replies

  • centexhusker
    centexhusker Posts: 115 Member
    Excellent question. I'm curious about this too.
  • serindipte
    serindipte Posts: 1,557 Member
    It depends on how long you cook it and how much water it absorbs along with how much water is still on it when you weigh it. This is why most pasta and rice is measured dry and precooked.
  • echofm1
    echofm1 Posts: 471 Member
    It shows cooked weight? That's odd. All of my rice and pasta have the serving size as dry weight, as the pasta and rice take in varying amounts of water depending on how you like it cooked, which will give you different weights. Example: Al dente pasta is going to weigh less than cooked to near mush pasta.

    In general, a 2oz (56g) serving of dried pasta (which is what I've seen as the conventional serving size) will be about 200 calories. I don't remember what my dried rice is in grams, but I know a serving is 1/4 cup dried rice and it's either 140 or 160 calories.
  • NahrasWay
    NahrasWay Posts: 78 Member
    Pasta is a hard one because it depends on how long you cook it, and if you cook it differently each time you make it it could weigh more or less depending on how much liquid it absorbed. I searched a little on the internet and a few things I saw with pasta were that 2oz dried became around 5oz cooked. Again this could change depending on how long you cook your pasta for so I would personally experiment on your own with this. Next time you have pasta start out with 2oz to see how much you get cooked and write down how long you cooked it for etc.

    From my own personal experience with rice it doubles. So 1 cup of dry rice becomes 2 cups, 2 dry becomes 4 cooked etc. That's usually if I don't mess it up by not putting enough water in and some of the rice doesn't cook :( Otherwise PERSONALLY that's what my experience is. Again, might be something you want to experiment with yourself.

    I'm no expert, just my 2 cents.
  • slgsleepy
    slgsleepy Posts: 8 Member
    Thanks everyone. Could you explain what you mean by 'cup' of rice please? I've seen it a few times but not understood it. I've only ever weighed things and I have lots of different sized cups/mugs in my cupboards!
  • jlynnm70
    jlynnm70 Posts: 460 Member
    Ok - rice and pasta usually double when cooked - so 2 oz dry is 4 oz wet (cooked) This from my husband who is a chef.

    I usually follow this and it seems to work for me (I consistently lose so must not be going way outta whack on the calories)

    I'm not saying it's scientific - but that is how I do it --- I really wish the box/bag had both servings on it - I never cook a single serving because I am boiling it for the whole family - then just weigh mine out.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Thanks everyone. Could you explain what you mean by 'cup' of rice please? I've seen it a few times but not understood it. I've only ever weighed things and I have lots of different sized cups/mugs in my cupboards!

    If you aren't in the US it might not be relevant for you. It's a standard unit of measurement used here, and is best for liquids although often used for other items: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cup_(volume). Weight is better for logging if it's an option (usually you'll get a weight alternative on packaging).

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